Chapter 289: The Hidden Sword Retreat

Chapter 289: The Hidden Sword Retreat

When Su Mo returned, the village of Tihu had already fallen silent.

The villagers had gone back to their homes to rest for the evening, planning to handle the village's dead the following day.

Yang Xiaoyun and the others had also returned to the house where they were staying for the night.

However, the owners of the house would never come back.

After inquiring with the villagers, Yang Xiaoyun found out that an elderly couple had lived there.

Their daughter had married off to a distant place, and their son had gone off to roam the martial world, not having returned for many years.

The couple had been slain by the people from Wangxuan Mountain, leaving the house vacant.

After hearing this, Su Mo sighed inwardly.

He then detailed the story of the ghost lady to Yang Xiaoyun.

The first thing Yang Xiaoyun asked was:

"Was the ghost lady pretty?"

She was clearly intrigued, her face alight with curiosity as she asked.

"..."

Su Mo pondered for a moment: "She was decent-looking, but it might not have been her true face.

"What she used to trick Xu Lu was actually a disguise.

"Who knows if what she showed me was her real face?

"I couldn't just go up and feel her face to find out, could I?"

"You wanted to feel her face?"

Yang Xiaoyun's eyes widened.

"...I didn't," Su Mo responded, momentarily speechless.

"What about her breathing? Was she breathing?"

"Breathing... none.

"The martial arts she practices are highly unique; her breathing probably circulates internally.

"I could hear the pulse and blood flow within her, but no sound of breathing."

"I see," Yang Xiaoyun said with a nod. "The martial world is teeming with masters, and the paths of martial arts are varied, each with its own distinctiveness.

"However, by revealing the identity of the Great Manager, she has already made her stance clear in this matter."

Su Mo gave a slight nod, which explained why he hadn't kept the ghost lady with them.

As for the truth of her words, only time will tell.

So far, Su Mo hasn't spotted any inconsistencies.

Plus, revealing the great manager's identity brought a lot of hidden issues to light.

Su Mo figured the matter was pretty much wrapped up.

At least the trip to Jifeng Mountain should be smooth sailing, with no more drama over the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron.

After a quick chat, they hit the sack, saving other discussions for tomorrow.

The night flew by, and the next morning, just as Su Mo and the crew were getting up, someone knocked on the door.

Hu Sandao opened the door to find a bunch of villagers at the doorstep, food in hand. Spotting the group, they broke into smiles:

"Here’s some grub for you, heroes."

"Much obliged."

Hu Sandao thanked them, but when he asked them to come in, they all declined.

After breakfast, Su Mo rallied the escort crew and Xu Lu to help the villagers handle the bodies.

They were at it all morning, finally cremating all the bodies.

Afterwards, Su Mo said his goodbyes, and the villagers loaded them up with provisions for the road.

There were endless thanks, too many to count.

With goodbyes said, the group hit the road again.

"The villagers’ simplicity and sincerity really hit home," Yang Xiaoyun eyed the provisions on the saddle and chuckled:

"It’s way too much. Without Xiaoxiao, we’d never get through it all."

"Check out how thrilled Xiaoxiao is."

Su Mo glanced back at Zhen Xiaoxiao, walking alongside Xu Lu, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Turning from Zhen Xiaoxiao, Su Mo looked at Xu Lu and said:

"Xu, my man."

"Master, just say the word!" Xu Lu quickly responded.

"..."

Su Mo paused, thrown off by the odd phrasing, but shook it off:

"You serious about becoming my disciple?"

Xu Lu’s eyes went wide:

"You’re really gonna take me on?"

"It's not entirely out of the question. The only thing that makes me hesitate is that we are of similar age. Taking you as a disciple based on age alone feels somewhat inappropriate."

"W-what do you mean?"

Xu Lu quickly responded, "If I could earn your approval and become your disciple, it would be the greatest honor of my life! This is something I wouldn't even dare to dream of. I humbly beg for your kindness and to take me under your wing."

"Alright, then Su Mo will accept you as a disciple."

"Master on high, please..."

As Xu Lu spoke, he was about to kneel on the ground.

But Su Mo stopped him:

"Hold on, we are still on the road. There's no need to rush the ceremony of becoming a disciple.

"This matter can wait until we return to the escort bureau.

"However, you must think carefully before making this decision. If you join my sect, you will be considered a member of the Purple Sun Escort Bureau from now on.

"From this day forward, you must no longer engage in petty theft.

"The escort bureau has many rules, and you must abide by each one. As for respecting your master and following the path of righteousness, that goes without saying, right?"

"Disciple understands, Master!"

Xu Lu quickly replied, "In fact, since the last time until now, I have not engaged in petty theft for a long time."

"Good."

Su Mo nodded, "You have a chivalrous spirit. Even for strangers, you are willing to risk your life to protect them. This is truly commendable. That's why I am willing to take you as a disciple.

"Aside from your lightness kung fu, you really don't have any other notable abilities.

"Yet you have a heart that seeks justice. If I let you continue like this, you might end up killed in the streets someday.

"That's why I plan to teach you some skills...

"However..."

Su Mo paused slightly here, "Most of my martial arts come from the Purple Sun Sect, and the rest were taught to me by a wandering master.

"What would you like to study?"

"Master, your willingness to teach me is already a great honor. How could I, as your disciple, dare to be picky?"

Xu Lu quickly said, "Everything will naturally be decided by you, Master."

Su Mo nodded upon hearing this, pondered for a moment, and then said:

"The Ethereal Traces Record that you have learned is itself an extraordinary martial art.

"It allows you to develop internal energy through lightness kung fu, and from what I can see, you haven't yet reached the peak of this martial art. There's still much potential.

"Therefore, we can set aside internal energy training for now. For the time being, I can teach you two martial arts.

"One is the Great Open Yang Scattering Palm from my Purple Sun Sect.

"The Great Open Yang Scattering Palm is both offensive and defensive, combining grappling and throwing techniques. It appears to be straightforward and forceful, but in reality, it conceals cleverness within its simplicity."

"If one can master it to the extreme, every gesture will carry immense power.

"Another technique is the Qiankun Acupoint Technique.

"This is a martial art focused on acupoints, based on the fourteen characters 'Mountains and rivers have their veins, all living beings have their unique acupoints,' and it comes with a complete set of mental techniques for energy circulation.

"Once mastered, it can immobilize any creature, human or animal, with just a single finger."

As he spoke, a rabbit suddenly darted out from the roadside. Su Mo flicked his finger, and a burst of energy flew through the air.

The rabbit, which had been running wildly, instantly froze in place, frozen mid-run.

This scene left Hu Sandao and Xu Lu completely stunned.

Even Yang Xiaoyun, who already knew the wonders of Su Mo's Qiankun Acupoint Technique, couldn't help but exclaim:

"Your acupoint technique is almost like the immobilization spells used by immortals in legends."

"Hahaha."

Su Mo laughed: "Xu Lu originally practiced the 'Records of Ethereal Traces,' and now, combined with the Qiankun Acupoint Technique, the two complement each other perfectly."

Zhen Xiaoxiao was the only one unaffected.

Seeing the rabbit, her eyes lit up, and she quickly grabbed it, paying no attention to Su Mo's divine skills.

Having rabbit for dinner was all that mattered!

After the initial shock wore off, Xu Lu was overjoyed: "Thank you, Master!"

Su Mo gently waved his hand: "First, I'll teach you the essential techniques for these two skills. Listen carefully."

However, after saying this, Su Mo did not speak aloud.

Instead, he used a secret transmission technique to directly transmit the formulas into Xu Lu's ears.

Xu Lu listened intently, committing everything to memory with great care.

Su Mo repeated the formulas three times, letting Xu Lu recite them on his own. If there were any parts he forgot or couldn't recall clearly, he could ask Su Mo again during their rest.

Xu Lu immediately nodded, diligently memorizing the formulas Su Mo had taught.

Hu Sandao watched from the sidelines, his face filled with envy, but he didn't expect Su Mo to turn his gaze toward him.

He instinctively straightened his posture, feeling a slight sense of anticipation.

Su Mo smiled:

"Old Hu, do you want to join in on the fun?"

"...Well, hehehe."

Hu Sandao chuckled dryly: "My talent isn't great, so I wouldn't dare ask the Chief Escort for this. If the Chief Escort takes pity on me and offers some pointers on my sword techniques, Old Hu would be endlessly grateful."

"I don't even understand your three sword moves, so how could I possibly offer you pointers?"

Su Mo shook his head, then took something from his saddle and tossed it to Hu Sandao:

"Catch."

Hu Sandao quickly held it in his arms, feeling the weight of the object in his hands, he couldn't help but be startled:

"What is this?"

"Open it and see what it is."

Hu Sandao nodded, opened the bundle, and inside was a blade.

He picked up the blade, grasped the hilt, and pulled it out. The cold gleam of the blade immediately caught the eye.

With a hum, the blade slid out of its sheath, its sharpness fully revealed!

"What a fine blade!"

Hu Sandao looked at the blade in his hand, joy spreading across his face.

Although it was a single-edged blade, the blade was wide, giving it a sense of heft.

The blade was mirror-polished, its edge razor-sharp.

He instinctively wanted to give the blade a swing, but then paused, carefully examining it again, and suddenly exclaimed:

"The Hundred Battles Blade!?"

After saying this, he quickly looked at Su Mo:

"Chief Escort, this... this looks like the Forging Blade Sect's treasured blade, the Hundred Battles Blade!?"

"How did it end up in your hands?"

"From what you're saying, it sounds like you slacked off when cleaning up the bodies today."

Su Mo said: "I'm deducting half a month's wages."

Hu Sandao's face went pale in an instant. Su Mo had always been generous, and his escorts were well-paid. For a moment, he was heartbroken.

But after coming to his senses, he understood:

"You mean, yesterday, Xiong Meng from the Forging Blade Sect was here too?"

"Yes."

Su Mo nodded: "When I killed him, I didn't know who he was, otherwise, I would have let you finish him off.

"But this blade is truly exceptional, so I decided to keep it.

"There aren't many in the escort agency who use blades, so I'll give it to you."

"Thank you so much, Chief Escort!"

Hu Sandao was thrilled. Xiong Meng's death was one delight, and getting the treasured blade was another.

If it weren't for losing half a month's wages, it would have been a double blessing.

"Also..."

Su Mo gave Hu Sandao a glance: "There's something I need to ask you. Back in that cave, you learned three blade techniques and gained some internal strength... well, not quite half. The person who taught you martial arts once told you to go to Wusheng Hall to rescue someone.

"Did he ever say who that person was?"

"He didn't go into details with me," Hu Sandao quickly said. "He only said that the person was trapped in Wusheng Hall's Endless Prison."

"Did he say where in Wusheng Hall the Endless Prison is?"

"He didn't explain, just told me to go rescue... maybe he couldn't say more, or didn't want to."

Hu Sandao sighed, "My martial arts skills mostly came by sheer luck, and with my mediocre skills, going to Wusheng Hall would be suicide. How could I dare?"

"That's true," Su Mo nodded, glancing at Zhen Xiaoxiao before looking at Ding Wugong on her one-legged bronze statue.

Ding Wugong looked more withered than ever today. He had noticeably lost weight.

However, the veins and blood vessels under his skin looked better, though he still seemed weak.

Su Mo flicked his finger, unsealing Ding Wugong's mute acupoint:

"Brother Ding, do you know where Wusheng Hall's Endless Prison is?"

"...Chief Escort Su, I... I only seek death..."

"Changing the subject won't get you killed."

"...I really don't know."

Ding Wugong shook his head: "There's no Endless Prison in Wusheng Hall."

Su Mo nodded immediately, then flicked his finger again to reseal Ding Wugong's mute acupoint, turning to Hu Sandao:

"If he mentioned the Endless Prison, it must mean something.

"A dying man's words are true, and a dying bird's cries are sad.

"He had no reason to lie to you before he died.

"We'll have to go to Wusheng Hall anyway, so we might as well look for this Endless Prison.

"If we succeed, your sword skills might finally be complete."

Hu Sandao was stunned and quickly said, "Chief Escort, Wusheng Hall is no joke. Don't risk yourself for Old Hu, and it's not worth making an enemy of Wusheng Hall."

Su Mo laughed heartily: "It's not just for you; I have my own reasons. This is just a side mission."

"I see," Hu Sandao nodded quickly, "That's good, that's good."

With no further words, they continued their journey towards Jifeng Mountain.

The journey was mostly peaceful, except for Xu Lu, who kept reciting his martial arts mantra and wandering off the path.

His lightness skill was so fast that he didn't notice when he strayed. If no one was watching, he'd crash into a tree...

This led Zhen Xiaoxiao to frequently watch him, which touched Xu Lu until he asked and found out... she was just waiting to see when he'd crash himself to death.

Xu Lu was momentarily furious but dared not speak out, thinking to himself, "Are you just waiting for me to die so you can have an extra meal?"

Aside from this minor incident, the journey was largely uneventful.

Hu Sandao had said earlier that after passing Qingquan Mountain, Jifeng Mountain was not far away.

And indeed, that was the case.

A few days later, they reached Jifeng Mountain.

But once Su Mo and his group got to Jifeng Mountain, they couldn't find the Green Wood Forest.

Having no other option, they had to go down the mountain to ask for directions.

After several more days had passed, they finally learned the location of the Green Wood Forest.

But to the locals, the Green Wood Forest was seen as a haunted place.

There were tales of people getting lost in the mountains, accidentally entering the Green Wood Forest, and being unable to find their way out. One person was trapped for a full day and night, eventually collapsing from exhaustion and passing out.

When they came to, they found themselves on a mountain path.

Others, lured by the forest's notoriety, went to explore it but never came back.

Over time, naturally, no one wanted to go there anymore.

Later, the stories got scarier and scarier. They said that if you went into the Green Wood Forest at night, you could hear the clanging of metal inside the forest.

Sometimes the sounds came down like rain, while at other times, they were few and far between.

Some even said they'd seen a red-clad female ghost in the forest.

In short, there were all sorts of rumors, each more colorful than the last.

When Su Mo and his group said they wanted to visit the Green Wood Forest, the locals kept trying to talk them out of it.

After a lot of convincing, they finally gave directions.

Following these directions, Su Mo and his group finally found the Green Wood Forest.

But at first glance, the forest looked pretty ordinary.

The moment they stepped into the forest, they got lost.

Everywhere they looked, there were trees, all looking exactly the same.

Su Mo recalled Ji Shuhua's advice: once inside, go left, and if you see red, turn right.

He took the group left, and soon enough, they came across red...

It was a tree.

The tree had been pruned, standing about two meters high.

At the top of the tree hung a large red robe, fluttering and rustling in the wind.

Fresh sprouts sprouted from the sleeves and collar of the robe, making for a strange and surreal sight.

For ordinary people entering this place, already lost and fearful, suddenly seeing something like this would easily make them think they had encountered a ghost.

Su Mo and his group exchanged glances, gaining a bit more understanding of the reclusive swordsman of Hidden Sword Cottage.

This person... likely has a fear of crowds.

After spotting the tree clad in a red robe, they turned right, walked until they encountered another, and then pressed on...

After about an hour of this, they had already emerged from the Green Wood Forest.

At the edge of the forest, they saw a mountain with a cleft wide enough for two people to walk through side by side.

Su Mo led the way, with Zhen Xiaoxiao bringing up the rear.

Zhen Xiaoxiao felt cramped as she walked through the cleft, her shoulders occasionally scraping against the rocky walls, which tightly sealed the path behind her.

After walking a few hundred meters through the cleft, the vista suddenly widened.

In the hollow of the mountain fissure, several thatched huts were nestled.

At that moment, tendrils of cooking smoke wafted up, carrying the tantalizing aroma of food.